Cox is considered by many the greatest fielding third baseman prior to Brooks Robinson. After a brief ML fling in 1941 and four years of military service, Cox became the Pirates’ starting shortstop in 1946 and hit .290 to lead the club. Despite his career-high 15 HR in 1947, Cox was traded with Preacher Roe and Gene Mauch to Brooklyn for 37-year-old Dixie Walker and pitchers Hal Gregg and Vic Lombardi. It was one of Pittsburgh’s worst trades, and Branch Rickey’s and the Dodgers’ best. Cox held down third base in Brooklyn for seven seasons and three NL Championships. Casey Stengel said of him, “That ain’t a third baseman. That’s a f—-g acrobat.” He led the NL in fielding percentage in 1950 and ’52.
